The former GOP Majority Leader and the current chairman of FreedomWorks was in the House today, meeting with Republicans, and I happened into him outside the chamber after the reading of the Constitution. I pointed out to Armey that the GOP’s Pledge to America promised $100 billion in spending cuts this year, while Republicans are now talking about $50-60 billion in cuts. Was he satisfied with this? Well, yes.
“I believe that because the Democrats have squandered half of this fiscal year,” said Armey, “because they didn’t complete their work last year, it’s realistically correct.”
National Review’s Robert Costa asked another question about the degree to which Republicans were making good on their promises. Had John Boehner disappointed Tea Partiers by tacitly agreeing that the debt ceiling could be raised?
“The first full day that a man is in the office of speaker is too early to [say] he’s gone back on anything,” said Armey.